Tuna chunking apparatus

ABSTRACT

A tuna chunking apparatus including a base portion that has a base front end and a base back end with a handle. The base front end has a pair of hinged extensions. The base portion has a base top and a base bottom with an opening. The base bottom is positioned on a chum bucket. The opening of the base portion has a front wall, a back wall, with a pair of side walls that have six rigid blades with a space between each blade. Included is a plate that has a plate front end and a plate back end with a handle. The plate front end has three hinged extensions that are capable of interlocking with a pair of hinged extensions of the base portion. The plate has a plate top with five rectangular projections and a front projection, with each projection proportionally spaced from another projection. Lastly, the handle of the plate is capable of rotating the plate toward the base portion along the hinges to force a fish positioned on the base top to be chunked by the blades.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a tuna chunking apparatus and moreparticularly pertains to allowing a fish to be chunked therein when thetuna chunking apparatus is placed in the operable configuration andfurther allowing the fish to be chunked by the blades when theprojections are forced between the spaces of the blade.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The use of fish cutting devices is known in the prior art. Morespecifically, fish cutting devices heretofore devised and utilized forthe purpose of cutting fish into chumb bait are known to consistbasically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations,notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded priorart which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectivesand requirements.

By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,593 to Goto, Tsujii, Okada andSuzuki discloses a method of producing minced fish meat. U.S. Pat. No.5,226,334 to Pegoraro discloses an automatic cutting of meat and fishinto portions. U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,778 to Korkuch discloses an apparatusfor chopping fish for chumb bait and method. U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,670 toSavastano, Jr. discloses a fish chunk-cutting device. U.S. Pat. No.4,476,610 to Wenzel discloses a method and apparatus for transverselycutting fish. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,439,721 to Christiansen disclosesa machine for cutting bait fish.

While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives andrequirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe tuna chunkingapparatus that allows a tuna chunking apparatus that has a base portionthat is positionable on a chum bucket and has a press plate that can berotated towards the base portion to push the fish through blades of thebase portion for chunking of the fish.

In this respect, the tuna chunking apparatus according to the presentinvention substantially departs from the conventional concepts anddesigns of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatusprimarily developed for the purpose of the fish to be chunked by theblades when the projections are forced between the spaces of the blade.

Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need fora new and improved tuna chunking apparatus which can be used for thefish to be chunked by the blades when the projections are forced betweenthe spaces of the blade. In this regard, the present inventionsubstantially fulfills this need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types offish cutting devices now present in the prior art, the present inventionprovides an improved tuna chunking apparatus. As such, the generalpurpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequentlyin greater detail, is to provide a new and improved tuna chunkingapparatus and method which has all the advantages of the prior art andnone of the disadvantages.

To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a generallyrectangular base portion. The base portion has a base front end and abase back end with a generally rectangular handle extending therefrom.The base front end has a pair of cylindrical hinged extension extendingtherefrom. The base portion has a length of about thirteen inches, and awidth of about eleven inches, and a height of about three to fourinches. The base portion has a base top and base bottom with a generallyrectangular opening therethrough. The opening encompasses aboutseventy-five percent of the base top and the base bottom to leave aborder. The border covers twenty-five percent of a surface of the basetop and the base bottom. The border has a width that is one and one halfinch from any end of the base portion to the opening. The base bottom ofthe base portion is positionable on a chum bucket. The opening of thebase portion has a front wall, a back wall, and a pair of side wallstherebetween. The side wall have six rigid blades extendingtherebetween. The six rigid blades have a space between each blade. Oneof each blade is proportionally spaced from the front wall and anotherblade. One of each blade is proportionately spaced from the back walland another blade. Each blade has a height extending from the base topto the base bottom with a height being equal the height of the baseportion. The handle of the base portion has a handle end with agenerally oblong hole adjacent thereto. Also, included is generallyrectangular press plate. The press plate has a plate front end and aplate end with a generally rectangular handle extending therefrom. Theplate front end has three cylindrical hinged extensions extendingtherefrom. The cylindrical hinged extensions of the plates are capableof interlocking with the pair of cylindrical hinged extensions of thebase portion, and being secured thereto with a pivot pin. The pressplate has a length of about thirteen inches, and a width of about eleveninches and a height of about three to four inches. The press plate has aplate top and plate bottom. The plate top has five generally rectangularprojections and a front projection extending therefrom. Each projectionis proportionately spaced from another projection. The front projectionis proportionally spaced from the plate front end. One of eachprojection is proportionately spaced from the plate back end. Each ofthe five projections have a height of about three to four inches and awidth of about one inch. The front projection being of equal height witheach of the five projections. The front projection having a decreasingwidth with an interior wall sloping away from another of the fiveprojections. The projections covering about seventy-five percent of theplate top and leaving a border. The border of the plate coverstwenty-five percent of a surface area of the plate top. The border has awidth of one and one half inch from any end of the press plate to anyone of the projections. The handle of the plate has a handle end with agenerally oblong hole adjacent thereto. The handle of the plate is usedto assist the plate in rotating at the interlocking hinges towards thebase portion. When the press plate is rotated towards the base portionthe projections are positioned between the spaces of each blade. Theprojection force a fish positioned on the base top to chunked by theblades when the projection is forced between the spaces of each blade.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more importantfeatures of the invention in order that the detailed description thereofthat follows may be better understood and in order that the presentcontribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course,additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafterand which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of theinvention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited in its application to the details of construction and to thearrangements of the components set forth in the following description orillustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of otherembodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways.Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminologyemployed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not beregarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception,upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basisfor the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carryingout the several purposes of the present invention. It is important,therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalentconstructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope ofthe present invention.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved tuna chunking apparatus which has all of the advantages of theprior art fish cutting devices and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved tuna chunking apparatus which may be easily and efficientlymanufactured and marketed.

It is further object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved tuna chunking apparatus which is of durable and reliableconstructions.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved tuna chunking apparatus which is susceptible of a low cost ofmanufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and whichaccordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consumingpublic, thereby making such tuna chunking apparatus economicallyavailable to the buying public.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a newand improved tuna chunking apparatus which provides in the apparatusesand methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, whilesimultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associatedtherewith.

Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a tunachunking apparatus for allowing a fish to be chunked therein when thetuna chunking apparatus is placed in the operable configuration andfurther allowing the fish to be chunked by the blades when theprojections are forced between the spaces of the blade.

Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved tuna chunking apparatus that includes a base portion. The baseportion has a base front end and a base end with a handle extendingtherefrom. The base front end has a pair of hinged extensions extendingtherefrom. The base portion has a base top and a base bottom with anopening therethrough. The base portion with its base bottom ispositioned on a chum bucket. The opening of the base portion has a frontwall and a back wall with a pair of side walls having six blades with aspace between each blade. Included is a plate. The plate has a platefront end and plate back end with a handle extending therefrom. Theplate front end has three cylindrical hinged extensions extendingtherefrom that are capable of interlocking with a pair of cylindricalhinged extensions of the base portion. The plate has a plate top withfive rectangular projections and a front projection extending therefrom.Each projection is proportionately spaced from another projection.Lastly, the handle of the plate is used to rotate the plate towards thebase portion at the interlocking hinges. Rotating the plate will causethe projections to move in a direction of the base portion where a fishis positioned thereon. The projection will press against the fish andcause the fish to be chunked by the blades when the plate moves towardsthe base portion. The projections are further forced between the spacesof each blade.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with thevarious features of novelty which characterize the invention, arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and objects other than those setforth above will become apparent when consideration is given to thefollowing detailed description thereof. Such description makes referenceto the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the tunachunking apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional side view of the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention with the projections being positioned between thespaces of the blades. The same reference numerals refer to the sameparts through the various Figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1 thereof,the preferred embodiment of the new and improved tuna chunking apparatusembodying the principles and concepts of the present invention andgenerally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

The present invention, the tuna chunking apparatus 10 is comprised of aplurality of components. Such components are Such components in theirbroadest context include a base portion, a press plate, blades, andprojections individually configured and correlated with respect to eachother so as to attain the desired objective.

Specifically, the present invention includes a generally rectangularbase portion 12, as shown in FIG. 1. The base portion has a base frontend 14, a base back end 16, with a generally rectangular handle 18extending therefrom. The base front end has a pair of cylindrical hingedextensions 22 extending therefrom. The base portion is formed of a metalthat is rust resistant. The base portion has a length of about thirteeninches, and a height of about three to four inches. The base portion hasa base top 24 and a base bottom 26 with a generally rectangular opening28 therethrough. The opening, as shown in FIG. 2, encompasses aboutseventy-five percent of the base top and the base bottom to leave aborder 32. The border covers twenty-five percent of a surface area ofthe base top and the base bottom. The border has a width that is one andone half inch from any end of the base portion to the opening. The baseportion has its base bottom positioned on a chum bucket 34.

The opening 28 of the base portion 12 has a front wall 38 and a backwall 42 with a pair of side walls 44 therebetween. The side walls havesix rigid blades 46 extending therebetween. The six blades are formed ofstainless steel and sharp on each surface side. The six rigid bladeshave a space 48 between each blade 46. One of each blade isproportionately spaced from the front wall and another blade. One ofeach blade is proportionately spaced from the back wall and anotherblade. Each blade has a height extending from the base top 24 to thebase bottom 26 with the height equal the height of the base portion. Thehandle has a handle end 52 with a generally oblong hole 54 adjacentthereto.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, a generally rectangular press plate 56 isincluded. The press plate is formed of metal. The press plate has aplate front end 58 and a plate back end 62 with a generally rectangularhandle 64 extending therefrom. The plate front end 58 has threecylindrical hinged extensions 66 extending therefrom. The cylindricalhinged extensions of the plate 56 are capable of interlocking with apair of cylindrical hinged extension 22 of the base portion 12. Each ofthe cylindrical hinged extensions are secured together with a pivot pin68. The press plate has a length of about thirteen inches, and a widthof about eleven inches, and a height of about three to four inches. Thepress plate has a plate top 72 and a plate bottom 74, as shown in FIG.3. The plate top has five generally rectangular projections 78 and afront projection 80 extending therefrom.

As best illustrated in FIG. 3, each projection is propornately spacedfrom another projection. The front projection is propornately spacedfrom the plate front end 58. One of each projections is propornatelyspaced from the plate back end 62. Each of the five projections have aheight of about three to four inches and width of about one inch. Thefront projection has a height equal to that of each of the fiveprojections. The front projection has a decreasing width with aninterior wall 84 sloping away from another of the five projections. Theprojections cover about seventy-five percent of the plate's top leavinga border 86.

The border 86 covers twenty-five percent of a surface area of the platetop 72. The border has a width being one and one half inch from any endof the press plate to any one of the projections. The handle 64 of theplate 56 has a handle end 90 with a generally oblong hole 92 adjacentthereto. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the handle of the plate assists theplate in rotating at the interlocked hinges toward the base portion.When the plate is rotated towards to base portion the projections arepressed between the spaces of each blade. The projections will force afish positioned on the base top to be chunked by the blades when theprojection being forced between the spaces of each blade. Theprojections of the present invention are formed of the same metal thatthe tuna chunking apparatus is formed of.

The present invention is a tuna chunking apparatus that has a baseportion, a press plate, press projections, and blades. The apparatus isformed from steel that is treated to be highly rust resistant. Theapparatus functions by placing the base portion on a five gallon chumbucket. Once the base portion is placed on the bucket, a fish is placedacross the top of the base portion, then the press plate is brought overto have the projections pressed against the fish. When the projectionpress against the fish, the fish is chunked by the blades.

As to the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, thesame should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, nofurther discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will beprovided.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized thatthe optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, toinclude variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and mannerof operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obviousto one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to thoseillustrated in the drawings and described in the specification areintended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of theinvention.

What is claimed as being new and desired to be protected by LettersPatent of the United States is as follows:
 1. A new and improved tunachunking apparatus for chunking fish into pieces comprising incombination:a generally rectangular base portion having a base front endand a base back end with a generally rectangular handle extendingtherefrom, the base front end having a pair of cylindrical hingedextensions extending therefrom, the base portion having a length ofabout 13 inches, and a width of about 11 inches, and a height of about 3to 4 inches, the base portion having a base top and a base bottom with agenerally rectangular opening therethrough, the opening encompassingabout seventy percent of the base top and the base bottom to leave aborder, the border covers twenty-five percent of a surface area of thebase top and the base bottom, the border having a width being 11/2 inchfrom any end of the base portion to the opening, the base portioncapable of having the base bottom positionable on a chum bucket; theopening of the base portion having a front walls, a back wall with apair of side walls therebetween, the side walls having six rigid bladesextending therebetween, the six rigid blades having a space between eachblade, one of each blade being proportionately spaced from the frontwall and another blade, one of each blade being porportionately spacedfrom the back wall and another blade, each blade having a heightextending from the base top to the base bottom with the height beingequal the height of the base portion, the handle having a handle endwith a generally oblong hole adjacent thereto; a generally rectangularpress plate having a plate front end and a plate back end with agenerally rectangular handle extending therefrom, the plate front endhaving three cylindrical hinged extensions extending therefrom, thecylindrical hinged extensions of the plate capable of interlocking withthe pair of cylindrical hinged extensions of the base portion and beingsecured thereto with a pivot pin, the press plate having a length ofabout 13 inches, and a width of about 11 inches, and a height of about 3to 4 inches, the press plate having a plate top and a plate bottom, theplate top having five generally rectangular projections and a frontprojection extending therefrom; each projection being proportionatelyspaced from another projection, the front projection beingproportionately spaced from the plate front end, one of each projectionbeing proportionately spaced from the plate back end, each of the fiveprojections having a height of about 3 to 4 inches and a width of about1 inch, the front projection being of equal height with each of the fiveprojection, the front projection having a decreasing width with aninterior wall sloping away from another of the five projections, theprojections covering about seventy percent of the plate top leaving aborder, the border covers twenty-five percent of a surface area of theplate top, the border having a width being 11/2 inch from any end of thepress plate to any one of the projections, the handle of the platehaving a handle end with a generally oblong hole adjacent thereto, thehandle of the plate capable assisting the plate in rotating at theinterlocked hinges toward the base portion, whereby all of theprojections being positioned between the spaces of each blade, theprojection being capable of forcing a fish positioned on the base top tobe chunked by the blades when the projection being forced between thespaces of each blade.
 2. A tuna chunking apparatus comprising:a baseportion having a base front end and a base back end with a handleextending therefrom, the base front end having a pair of hingedextensions extending therefrom, the base portion having a base top and abase bottom with an opening therethrough, the opening being generallyrectangular and encompassing approximately seventy percent of the basetop and the base bottom to leave a border, the border coveringapproximately twenty-five percent of a surface area of the base top andthe base bottom, the border having a width being 11/2 inch from any endof the base portion to the opening for resting on the top of a chumbucket; the opening of the base portion having a front wall, a back wallwith a pair of side walls having six rigid blades with a space betweeneach blade; a press plate having a plate front end and a plate back endwith a handle extending therefrom, the plate front end having threecylindrical hinged extensions extending therefrom, and capable ofinterlocking with the pair of cylindrical hinged extensions of the baseportion, the press plate having a plate top with five generallyrectangular projections and a front projection extending therefrom, eachprojection being proportionately spaced from another projection; and thehandle of the plate capable of allowing the plate to rotate toward thebase portion at the interlocked hinges, whereby the projection beingcapable of forcing a fish positioned on the base top to be chunked bythe blades when the projection being forced between the spaces of eachblade.
 3. The tuna chunking apparatus as set forth in claim 2 whereinthe base being generally rectangular in shape and having a length ofabout 13 inches, and a width of about 11 inches, the base having aheight of about 3 to 4 inches with the opening having a height equalthereto.
 4. The tuna chunking apparatus as set forth in claim 2 whereineach blade being formed of surgical steel and having a height extendingfrom the base top to the base bottom with the height being equal theheight of the base portion, one of each blade being proportionatelyspaced from the front wall and another blade, one of each blade beingproportionately spaced from the back wall and another blade.
 5. The tunachunking apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the handle of thebase portion having a handle end with a generally oblong hole adjacentthereto and being integral the base portion.
 6. The tuna chunkingapparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the pair hinged extensions ofthe base portion being secured by a pivot pin to the three hingedextensions of the plate.
 7. The tuna chunking apparatus as set forth inclaim 2 wherein the press plate having a length of about 13 inches, anda width of about 11 inches, and a height of about 3 to 4 inches.
 8. Thetuna chunking apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of the fiveprojections having a height of about 3 to 4 inches and a width of about1 inch, the front projection being of equal height with each of the fiveprojection, the front projection having a decreasing width with aninterior wall sloping away from another of the five projections andbeing proportionately spaced from the plate front end, one of eachprojection being proportionately spaced from the plate back end, theprojections covering about seventy percent of the plate top leaving aborder.
 9. The tuna chunking apparatus as set forth in claim 8 whereinthe border covers twenty-five percent of a surface area of the platetop, the border having a width being 11/2 inch from any end of the pressplate to any one of the projections.
 10. The tuna chunking apparatus asset forth in claim 2 wherein the handle of the plate having a handle endwith a generally oblong hole adjacent thereto and being integral thepress plate.